Shooters 8 Ball Update: Fragoso Hangs Tough …!!!

Peter Chin, With Jesse Piercey and Adrian Fragoso

Submitted Article:

The final event of the Shooters summer schedule was held on August 22nd & 23rd and this time took the format of good old-fashioned 8 Ball on the 9 footers. The tournament was billed as a “Traditional 8 Ball Tournament” and attracted a diverse field of 58 players including almost a third of the field who have never before or very seldom played in the usual 9 ball events at Shooters Snooker & Sports Club. The attendance was again surprising for an event held in the summer and might be an indicator of an untapped interest in 8 Ball tournaments. It was also an event that attracted many players from outside the GTA including contingents from London, Guelph, Midland and Newmarket.

Once Saturday play was complete, the undefeated ‘A’ side returnees were Jago Raghoo, Jesse Piercey, Teen Yan and Romeo Zulueta while over on the ‘B’ side, Greg Plester, Roderick Sy, Kevin Oliveira, Stuart Mactaggart, Ronald Giron, Norm Santos, Adrian Fragoso and Brad Guthrie were able to make a return appearance on Sunday after having one loss during Saturday’s play.

In the first of the Sunday ‘B’ side matches Greg Plester defeated Roderick Sy, Stuart Mactaggart toppled Kevin Oliveira, Norm Santos edged Ronald Giron and Adrian Fragoso beat Brad Guthrie in a tight hill/hill match. The ‘A’ side matches saw Jesse Piercey defeat Jago Raghoo while Romeo Zulueta had a win over Teen Yan. Back on the ‘B’ side Plester topped Mactaggart and Fragoso won his match against Santos to secure 5/6th place. These results set up an ‘A’ side final between Piercey and Zulueta and ‘B’ side matches with Plester facing off against Raghoo and Fragoso taking on Yan. Raghoo dispatched Plester while Fragoso had a win over Yan to set up the ‘B’ side semi-final where Fragoso outplayed Raghoo to qualify for the ‘B’ final.

In the ‘A’ side final Piercey had a win against Zulueta, sending Zulueta to the ‘B’ side to face Fragoso. In the ‘B’ final, Fragoso continued his strong play by easily handling Zulueta. This set up a tournament final that featured an undefeated Jesse Piercey versus Adrian Fragoso who had lost his first match of the tournament and had clawed his way through the ‘B’ side with steadily improving play.

In the tournament final, Fragoso proved that his solid play to make it to the tournament final and his “creds” as the 2014 Canadian Amateur 8 Ball Champion were well deserved by defeating the always dangerous Piercey.

Congratulations to Adrian Fragoso on his tournament win and to Jesse Piercey for his strong play throughout the tournament. This was Adrian’s first win of any kind at Shooters and his first tournament final at Shooters.

Thank you to all the participants for a great weekend of competitive pool. Next up for Shooters is a new season for the successful and long running ‘404’ series and for the newly successful Amateur series of 9 Ball events. And based upon the success of the summer tournaments there are more of the ‘one-off’ events scheduled during the 2015/16 season at Shooters. Tournament qualifiers are also being run for each of these ‘one-off’ events. Check the Shooters Snookerclub Facebook page for details and times.

* Correction: This was a true double elimination tournament. Meaning Fragoso had to beat Piercey twice. Because of the late hour and fatigue the two finalist decided to split the cash and call it a day. 

$10 000 First Prize – Next Richler Cup

A new winner will be holding a check for $10 000 as Snooker Canada has made the announcement that this will be the top prize for the next Richler Cup winner.

New Canadian Snooker Tour Logo Created

As the Canadian Snooker Tour gets ready for its inaugural event in September, players are starting to get cracking on the practice baize.

A few major changes have been made for the next Richler Cup and should be noted as the season begins.

1.  No pros will be playing in the next Richler Cup, which means that this time, over 40 or 50 players will have a legitimate chance to actually win the whole thing.

2.  No direct registrations for Ontario or Quebec players.  As part of the new tour, a ranking system has been created for these 2 provinces whereby the top 48 players at the end of the season will automatically qualify to play in the big show for NO ADDITIONAL COST.

The new league  is the only way that a player from either province can enter and compete in the Richler Cup, and the $10 000 first prize will be based on the participation of 64 players.

Stay tuned for all the details about the tour to be announced next week!

Shooters Scotch Doubles: Jeet and Jago Reign

Submitted Article

Yet another novel event was held this past weekend (August 15, 2015) at the Shooters Snooker and Sports Club in North York to meet the desires of local pool players during the “dog days” of August. This format was a handicapped Scotch Doubles 8 Ball tournament. The event was intended to be a one day tournament with a maximum with 16 teams. Unfortunately more teams wanted to participate but were unable to be accommodated. As it was with the 16 teams, the event ran on until the wee hours of the morning.

These ‘one-off’ events have proven to be very popular with players during the summer season at a time when it is typically very slow for local billiard halls. This was the 6th event to be held at Shooters this summer since the ‘404’ and ‘Amateur’ 9 Ball series events wrapped up at the end of May. And upcoming this weekend at Shooters is a traditional 8 Ball event open to all Amateurs with a recognized ‘404’ handicap of 8 or under.

The vast majority of tournaments held at Shooters are typically 9 Ball events so it was no surprise that several of the teams who entered this Scotch Doubles event were 8 Ball “specialists” from other rooms and leagues around the GTA. As play was concluding on Saturday it was the team of Jeet Kandhai and Jago Raghoo who were facing the team of Carlin Sanderson and Don Eddie in the ‘A’ side final while over on the ‘B’ side it was Steve Menezes and Toby Huang versus the powerhouse team of Bill Hong and Andy Mizan for 4th place – the winner to play the loser of the ‘A’ side final.

It was Hong and Mizan who prevailed in the 4th place match to set up the ‘B’ side final against the pairing of Sanderson and Eddie who fell to Kandhai and Raghoo in a hill/hill match on the ‘A’ side. In the ‘B’ side final Hong and Mizan over powered Sanderson and Eddie for the right to play Kandhai and Raghoo for the tournament title. With two very strong teams in the final it was Hong and Mizan who ran out of gas falling to the team of Jeet Kandhai and Jago Raghoo for the tournament win.

Congratulations to Jeet Kandhai and Jago Raghoo for their tournament win. Their 8 Ball win was very decisive and continued a summer of solid tournament pool for these players.

Thank you to all the participants in this tournament. As noted in past articles, there are more innovative tournament formats on the horizon at Shooters for the balance of the summer before the 404‘ and ‘Amateur’ series begin for 2015/16. Dates for 2015/116 are already available. Tournament qualifiers are generally being run for each of these ‘one-off’ events. Check the Shooters Snookerclub Facebook page for details and dates.

Player Prize Money Calcutta

1st Jeet Kandhai/ Jago Raghoo $900 $520

2nd Bill Hong/ Andy Mizan $500 $300

3rd Carlin Sanderson/ Don Eddie $320 $180

4th Steve Menezes/ Toby Huang $200

Guthrie Takes Down Second Annual Summer Shootout at Tailgators

Winner Brad Guthrie 

By: Markus Noé

This past Friday and Saturday Tailgators located in the Merivale Mall in Ottawa, Ontario hosted its second annual Summer Shootout. It was an impressive field of 63 who came out to participate in this handicapped bar box 8 ball tournament in the middle of the summer, also known as the off season for cue sports in Canada. This is a testament to the core of players from leagues that co-owners Morgan Bristrow and Curtis Houlden have to draw from. This combined with their reputation for hosting great tournaments almost guarantees big numbers like this at each event they host.

Rob Hall 

Play began around 8:00 pm Friday night after nearly $2400 was raised in the Calcutta. There was not too much to report in the forms of upsets on the first evening of play. Tournament favourites Erik Hjorleifson, Brad Guthrie and Rob Hall all made it through the three rounds played on the winners side. Jody Roy a respected talent on the barbox who went for $120 in the Calcutta, did sustain an unexpected loss in the first round. He was playing Pat Walsh, a player who had to race to 5 games. Roy had to race to 7 games and was blanked in this set 5-0. Roy was a bit flustered afterward, "he missed 2 two shots the whole match" he said when talking about his opponent.

Markus Noé

Perhaps my win against Tim Bristrow was a bit of an upset as well. We met in the second round and going into the match I knew I was in for a tough one as he is a well established player in the Ottawa region. He had to win 7 games while I had to win 5. After I was up 2-1 Bristrow took over this match 

going up 5-2. From there he had a few unexpected misses which I took full advantage of eventually winning the match 5-5. He came back strong the next day winning several matches on the losers side. 

From there I won a few more matches making it to the final 4 on the winners side. This is where my run was abruptly interrupted by my partner here at Cue Sport Nation, Erik Hjorleifson. Other than a few dry breaks I think he missed one shot the whole match. There was an 8 ball he accidentally knocked in out of turn which accounted for 1 of my 2 wins in this set.  He had one dry break where the table was open and I ran out. But besides that my break shot was not good enough to compete with his high level of play.

After this match I was waiting for a match between Shayne Dickson and the resurgent Jody Roy to wrap up to see who I would play. Roy battled back on the losers side all day Saturday with his most notable win against local favourite Dave Cassleman 7-6. Dickson a ranked (6) player who seemingly came out of nowhere ended Roy's bid in 8th pace. He followed this up by ending my tournament hopes as I tied for the 5/6 position with Steve Maclean, another player who fought long and hard on the losers side. 

 Known in many parts of Ontario as the legendary Rob "The Beard" Hall, was waiting for Dickson in the 4th place match. Hall suffered an earlier loss to Brad Guthrie in the final four of the winners side before eliminating Maclean in the 5/6 position. Hall cooled off Dickson winning this match 7-3 earning himself a chance at Hjorleifson in the losers side final. Hjorleifson was the only 8 in this field and spotting Hall 1 game would be no easy feat to accomplish in this short race. After a missed opportunity in the double hill match by Hjorleifson, Hall ran out to win the set 7-7 and earn a rematch with Guthrie. 

Guthrie who easily dispatch both hall and Hjorleifson earlier on in the tournament looked primed to walk away with the final early, as he went up 4-0. Hall was not done battling back just yet but in the end it was not enough, as Guthrie who was playing at a very high level all weekend went on to win 6-4. Congratulations to Brad Guthrie on his successful trip from the G.T.A to Ottawa and thank you to Morgan Bristrow and Curtis Houlden for hosting another great event. 

Payouts:

1. Brad Guthrie $1300 +$930 Calcutta 

2. Rob Hall $700+$665 Calcutta 

3. Erik Hjorleifson $400+$400 Calcutta 

4. Shayne Dickson $300+$265 Calcutta 

5/6. Markus Noé/Steve Maclean $200+200 Calcutta  

Robson Wins 1 Pocket Event at the Corner Bank

Jeff Robson, David Parker with co-room owner John White

By: Erik Hjorleifson 

This past weekend at the Corner Bank in Scarborough, Ontario we saw the first one Pocket tournament in the Toronto area in over 10 years. The event was organized by Greg Plester from Kitchener Ontario a keen enthusiast who has recently joined the Ontario provincial board, In an attempt to promote the game more adequately at the provincial level. Entry fees for the event were staggered with amateurs paying $25 advanced amateurs $50 semi pros $100 and pros $150. The format was a race to 3 double knockout with a one set final race to 5.
 
The tournament drew 16 players from Toronto and throughout the G.T.A (Greater Toronto Area) including places as far away as London. A lot of players in Ontario do not have experience playing one pocket but it seemed like everyone had played enough that there was no need for rule questions and play progressed smoothly. Tournament favourites included myself, Dave Parker, Jeff Robson and one pocket enthusiasts Greg Plester, Ben Heywood and Paul Sullivan. John Morra would be the unofficial "best" one pocket player in Ontario but he chose to sit the event out in order to maintain focus on the World Pool Masters which he will be competing in England August 14-16.
 
The day got off to an interesting start as the 3 main favourites were all drawn on the same half of the draw. In the first round I played Dave Parker from London and after Dave jumped out to a 2-0 lead I came back and this match came down to the very last ball with Dave pulling out the 8-7 ball count win in the final game. 

Jeff Robson then made his presence known with a 3-1 win over Parker in the winners side semi-finals. On the other half of the draw Paul Sullivan pulled through to face Robson in the winners side final. In the fifth place match I lost another close one to Parker after leading 7 balls to -1 in the hill-hill game I scratched and Parker took control running 8 and eventually closed out the game. Parker also had another close match with Carlin Sanderson in the fourth place match, he then went on to defeat Paul Sullivan in the 3rd place match to set up a rematch with Robson in the final. This match was close but Robson got the job done taking the title with a 5-3 win.
 
 
It is nice to see Ontario players getting involved with different games, this is something that I could never see happening 5 years year ago. It is a testament to the level of competitive play that our players have been seeking since the resurgence of tournaments has happened in the last year. No official dates are set as of yet but there will be plans to have more 1 pocket tournaments in the future, thanks to the Corner Bank for hosting the event.
 
1st Jeff Robson $400
2nd Dave Parker $300
3rd Paul Sullivan $200
4th Carlin Sanderson $100

Upscale Pool Hall "Roxy Bar" Opens in Downtown Toronto

By:Erik Hjorleifson 

In a time where poolrooms are closing their doors at an alarming rate, it is nice to be able to report some positive news. On Thursday Aug 6th the Roxy Bar officially opened their doors for business. They are located in the heart of downtown Toronto, in the popular King West fashion district at 19 Charlotte Street. The room will be at the same location as the legendary Charlotte Room which was a mainstay in the downtown pool scene for 17 years.The new owners include the old staff Clarice, Hannah, Mark and Justin Kluznik a Mississauga based competitive player who has achieved many titles over the years in the U.S. and Canadian pool scenes. 

 The ambiance of the venue is something that is rarely seen in a pool room, the 7 table space is complete with brick walls and artwork in a building that is over 100 years old. The Roxy is the kind of place where you would feel comfortable bringing someone on a first date or coming by for a drink after a long day of work.  With it's close proximity to the Air Canada Center and the Rogers Center it also a great spot to drop by for a bite to eat after a sporting event or concert. This room is also the preferred watering hole of past and present Second City students an acting school in Toronto that has produced the likes of John Candy, Martin Short, Dana Carvey and Mike Myers. This past year before the reopening Bruno Mars chose the room for an after party while on tour in Toronto. 

Considering the upscale area it is located in, while under old management the room featured a pricey menu that you would expect from most businesses in the area. The new vision for the room is to maintain that atmosphere with more affordable menu items including traditional bar food as well as more expensive choices. The room has also added dart boards and two brand new pinball machines to accommodate patrons with options other than playing pool. New management has also re-clothed all the tables and done some interior decorating to put a fresh look on the already aesthetically pleasing venue.

For the competitive players the room will offer leagues on Sundays and Mondays and the Tuesday night "social" pool league will return. To my knowledge the "social" league on Tuesdays is the only league of its kind in Toronto. Weekly dues are only $10 and at the end of each session a banquet and awards night take place but there are no cash prizes. This allows the league to have a friendly atmosphere where beginner to advanced players can come out and just enjoy a night of pool with friends, without the worry of competitive pressure and politics that arise when money is involved. 

I will be returning as the in house pro on Tuesdays and would strongly recommend this league for players that are new to playing in leagues, or are tired of the politics that can be associated with some of the competitive leagues in the area. 

Congratulations to all my friends at the Roxy on the opening of the new room, and I wish you all the best of success with the new venture. If you live in the G.T.A (Greater Toronto Area) be sure to check it out next time you are in the area. If you are visiting Toronto this is a room that can't be missed. The Roxy is also available for private and corporate party bookings. Make sure to visit and "Like" the Roxy Bar Facebook page and get the word out about this great pool hall. 

New Snooker League to have a Western & Eastern Conference

Submitted by: Snooker Canada 

Snooker Canada has decided to turn back the clock and re-introduce a system that worked very well in this country once upon a time. One country, one league, and 2 conferences will be the components for the up and coming Canadian Snooker Tour.

The Eastern Conference will be comprised of the province of Ontario, and anything east of that. The Western Conference will be comprised of the province of Manitoba and anything west of that.

The end of the season will culminate into 2 major events (one on each coast) where players will advance to compete in the final stages of 3rd annual Richler Cup, Canada’s largest snooker tournament.

The event in the west will be called the Western Canadian Championships and the one in the east, of course, will be called the Eastern Canadian Championships.

Dates and locations are currently in the works and will be announced before the season begins.

Looking forward to a great snooker season for all !

Rack-M-Up Summer Series Results: Sypes Battles Back From Early Loss to Win

From left to right, Amanda Collins, Charles Sypes, Jason Hall, Doug Disotell 

By: Markus Noé

Saturday August 1st at Rack-M-Up Billiards in Cornwall, Ontario hosted the sixth event out of eight scheduled for their "Summer Series." These 9 Ball tournaments are the brain child of the owners Doug Disotell and Amanda Collins. There are many competitive players from the region who travel to Montreal and Ottawa during the winter months,who have nothing to play during the "off season" of pool which is traditionally during the summer months in Canada.

These handicap tournaments give each player a number based on their skill level. Whichever number they receive ranging from 4-7 is the amount of games needed to win in order win the match. A 4 would be considered a beginner type player while a 7 is a well established amateur player. Handicap tournaments have been gaining in popularity all over North America during the past decade or so, simply because there is not enough players playing at a high level as their once was. For the sake of keeping the lower levels interested and to present them with an opportunity to win, the handicap system has been a useful alternative.

An extra challenge is the alternate break format. At the professional level this format has caught on because the players are so good an entire match can be won without seeing both players have a chance at the table. However at the amateur level where break and clearances of the table is a rarity it makes the handicap that much more difficult in 9 Ball. Combine this with having to rely on someone else racking your balls and with the 9 Ball counting as a win off the break, many 4-5 level players have seen a great deal of success during this series. When two 7's or two 6's play one another the format is a non issue however when they play a lower level it is actually a lot more difficult.

 J.R Cook (4) was the defending champion going into this tournament. In the previous event he went undefeated to claim top prize. Cook came into this event looking to repeat and got off to a great start winning his first 3 matches guaranteeing himself a 3rd place finish. Jayson Hall (7) the other player to come through the winners side bracket undefeated was looking to end Cook's reign. Hall did so convincingly handing Cook his first defeat in two tournaments 7-1.

On the losers side of the bracket Charles Sypes after losing his first match to Walter Szydlowsky  (5) 5-2 went on a tear. He won his next few matches earning himself a rematch with Szydlowsky. After going down 2-0 Sypes went on to win 6-3 to move on to the fourth place match. There he met up with another tournament favourite Jacques Sauvé (7).  Sypes went on to win this match by a 6-3 scoreline .

This set up the losers side final between Cook and Sypes. The match did not take long as Sypes was able to win 6-1 moving to the final against Hall. For the spectators this match-up had all the make up of an entertaining final. However Sypes who had been playing all afternoon looked to be in form, while Hall after sitting for a few hours got off to a slow start. This little bit of an edge was all Sypes needed as he went on to win 6-4 to claim his first victory of the season.

There are two tournaments remaining before the Grand Finale. Meaning those who have not gotten their 4 tournaments in, which is required to qualify for the Grand Finale need to make sure they play one or both of the next tournaments. August 22 will be the next event, hope to see you all there.

Payouts:

Charles Sypes- $160
Jason Hall-$100
J.R Cook-$60
Jacques Sauvé-$40